1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display system, an image display apparatus, and an image display method, and more particularly, to an image display system, an image display apparatus, and an image display method for stereoscopically displaying a real world image onto which a 3-dimensional virtual object is superimposed, on a stereoscopic display section capable of providing an image that is stereoscopically visible.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, development of an AR (Augmented Reality) technique has been advanced in which a virtual object is superimposed onto an image of a real world and the resultant image is displayed, whereby the virtual object appears to be present in the real world.
For example, a stereoscopic display apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-146109 calculates the relative positions and relative orientations of a camera for a right eye and a camera for a left eye with respect to a marker placed in the real world, from respective images shot by the camera for a right eye and the camera for a left eye, which are attached to a head mounted display, and then, based on the result of the calculation, generates an image of a virtual object for a right eye and an image for the virtual object for a left eye. Then, the stereoscopic display apparatus superimposes the image of the virtual object for a right eye and the image for the virtual object for a left eye onto the images shot by the camera for a right eye and the camera for a left eye, respectively, and displays the resultant composite images on an LCD (liquid crystal display) for a right eye and an LCD for a left eye, respectively.
However, the stereoscopic display apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-146109 forces a user to wear the head mounted display. Therefore, the user cannot easily and comfortably enjoy applications using the AR technique.